Changes
by StraightLife116
Summary: Pain, confusion, and loneliness are all traits that define Taylor Morgan's life. With her father constantly traveling & the grief over her mother, Taylor's life has lost all normalcy. Will her father realize her pain or will he lose his daughter forever?


_I don't own any CBS characters or __figures utilized in this story. This is all from the mind of a brilliant scientist._

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><p>The quiet of the night highlighted Taylor Morgan's thoughts. She shook her head sadly, today had been a bad, <em>bad <em>day and she didn't see any sight of it ending soon. She was stuck in her room with her knees drawn to her chest softly blowing out tight breaths as her body tensed with controlled sobs. She sighed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She just wanted to disappear. Moving slowly, she reached for the diary that was on her desk and clutched it to her chest. She shook her head, it was the last thing that her mother ever gave her...

Taylor's thoughts swam to the beautiful woman who's hair flew in the breeze like a model and whose warm hugs could make even the worst day like one in heaven. But she was gone now. The girl blew out her breath as she sunk lower into the clutches of her arms. She desperately wanted to feel safe after today, to know she was loved. The brown haired girl shook her head. She wished things would go back to normal, or at least how normal once was. Taylor sighed, nothing was normal anymore. Nothing.

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><p>Derek Morgan sighed as he walked quietly into his house. He shook his head at the cleanliness of the house. Smiling to himself, he pleasantly thanked God that he hadn't gotten one of those messy teenagers. He'd gotten an angel. He smiled happily at the thought. His Taylor Ann. The man shook his head, he was one lucky man. That girl was the apple of his eye, his jewel.<p>

Moving through the kitchen, he smiled as he found a note attached to the top of the stove. _Pen told me you'd be home soon, the lasagna should be warm. Enjoy. _The man shook his head, that kid was just too much. He knew that his days as her father were a gift from above, from the moment she'd been born, he knew that she was something special. He sighed, he just hoped the recent year's events hadn't taken too much of a toll on the girl. Losing your mother, regardless of how, had to be tough on the girl. He sighed as he checked the lasagna, it was the perfect temperature. He shook his head and closed the oven. He had to run upstairs and see her before she went to sleep. _He had to. _Taking the stairs two at a time he practically ran down the hall towards the large room his daughter occupied. He smiled as he remembered her silent fit over which room would be hers or the office. Clearly her scowl had won. He quietly knocked on the door. "Breeze?"

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><p>Taylor looked up startled at the knock and subsequent call from her father. She hadn't expected him to be home this early. She quickly wiped her tears and cleared her throat. "Come in," she rang softly. The girl smiled quietly as her father entered the room. She blew out a breath of relief. She knew her dad did what he could to stay safe, but it didn't stop her from worrying none the less. She wrapped her arms around the man who reached down to give her a soft hug. He kissed her gently on the temple.<p>

"How's my summer breeze?" The girl smiled at the nickname. He'd always called her his comfort, like a 'breath of fresh air'. The girl shrugged.

"Good," she said softly. The man nodded smiling.

"Just good?" The girl nodded trying her best to stay focused on his eyes. She knew if she faltered he'd call her on her lie immediately. She breathed with relief as the man started to speak again, she dodged that bullet. "So, how's school," he said standing up.

She nodded again.

"Good, I just have a lot of homework this week." The man nodded.

"How was the math test that you were so worried about?" The girl flashed a shy grin and looked down at her blue and green flower comforter.

"I um, got a hundred and two." The man smiled.

"No...not you. Not my Taylor Ann. Not Ms. 'I'm going to fail the ninth grade'. Not her." Taylor laughed softly still not looking at the man. So maybe she was a bit of a worry wart, she had every right to be. Look at her father. Morgan smiled down at his daughter. "So a hundred and two?" He whistled. "Wow. You've definitely got your mother's genes." The girl smiled softly at the words. Derek shook his head, he knew she was shaken up by her mother's departure, but he just couldn't bring himself to confront it. Not now anyway. Moving towards the door, the man spoke again. "I'm really proud of you, Taylor, and I think you'll be great at whatever you do." The girl smiled.

"Thanks dad." Watching his daughter, Derek sighed, he knew something was eating at her, but he wasn't sure what. He sighed, knowing the guarded fortress that he called a daughter, he decided to wait it out. She'd come when she was ready.

"G'night, Tay." The girl smiled.

"Night dad." Morgan turned to leave the room, but stopped on a dime.

"Hey, you wanna eat with me?" The girl scrunched her face and shook her head. Quickly grabbing her geometry book she held it up.

"I've got some reading I should do." The man smiled and nodded. Ever the overachiever.

"Alright pumpkin, good night." Derek turned leaving the room and heading back downstairs. Shaking his head, he moved slowly, tonight would be another night of dining alone and unanswered questions.

Taylor watched him go, with her emotions over taking her yet again. Moving onto her side fresh tears began to stream down her cheeks. She couldn't help but to wonder, why was their life so sterile, so bland? She shook the tears out of her eyes. It wasn't like this before. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes tight and turned out the light. She silently prayed that the hands of time would turn back to a brighter day. When things weren't so sterile, when love flowed freely, and when her mother was still there...she wished her life would go back to two years ago, before it all changed.


End file.
